Death Sentence on Jepson

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7007, 17 November 1932, Page 7

Death Sentence on Jepson

Strong Recommendation To Mercy by Jury

QUESTION OF SANITY

DEBATED

Per Press Association. NEW PLYMOUTH, Last Night,

Sentence of death Was passed by Air. Justice Reed on Hubert Cedric Jepson for the murder of his wife and two sous, aged 12 years and 18 mouths respectively. The jury made a strong recommendation to mercy.

Jepson gave no visible display of emotion when sentence was passed and he had nothing to say.

It was early in the morning of September 15 that Jepson walked into tho watelihouse and announced to the constable that he had killed his wife and children. Ho gave the keys of the house to the police who found Airs. Jepson dead in one room and the infant dead in another both with wounds in the head inflicted with an axo. In another room was a boy aged 12 still alive but terribly wounded and he died the

next day'. At the trial there was a conflict of medical opinion as to Jepson 's sanity.

Evidence for the prosecution in rebuttal was brought forward to-day. Dr. John Russell said there had been some evidence of epileptic symptoms in Jepson’s condition on November 28th, 1931. Even if that fit was definitely epilepsy, it was still necessary to prove that accused's acts of September loth were associated with epilepsy. Dr. John W. Williams, Aledical SuperPorirua Mental Hospital, said ho examined Jepson on October 21st and found that ho was quite sane, and everyone agreed that he was now quite sane. If he was insane at the time of the crimes, ono had to look for some form of insanity compatible with his condition at the time of exam ination. Witness therefore asked if the accused had ever had any fits, and accused told him of what he knew of a fit in November. Witness did not. think the fit of November was epileptic. Erom his examination of the accused, and from what he had heard of the evidence, he came to the conclusion that accused was not in any way insane on the morning of September 15th. Witness was of opinion that Jepson knew the nature and quality of his acts and that he was doing something which was wrong. Witness could appreciate what had been called accused's motive for the crime. Accused imagined he was doing his family a kindness. That was not necessarily insanity; but witness could follow the man’s reasoning, though his judgment may have been at fault. His Honour: Is that fortified by the fact that ho now says he thinks ho was justified in what he did? Witness: Yes, it is.

Witness said there was no evidence of epileptic furore. Jcpson had not an epileptic character, though that did not rule out the possibility of epilepsy. If accused was epileptic, it was the obvious opinion of witness that accused was pot suffering from any form of epilepsy at time of the crimes.